The present invention generally relates to routing twisted conductor pairs of a cable to a jack module and, in particular, to devices, systems and methods for controlling the consistency with which the twisted conductor pairs are routed.
As is known, communications patch panels frequently incorporate the use ofjack modules 100, as shown in FIG. 1, that can be readily attached to and removed from the patch panel. Typically, existing jack modules 100 include a housing 102 having a front portion 104 and a back portion 110. The front portion 104 is visible to the user of the patch panel (not shown) and includes one or more jack openings 106 configured to receive a communication connector (not shown). The front portion 104 and the back portion 110 matingly engage each other and serve to protect a printed wiring board 130, one or more jack receptacles 136, and a plurality of insulation displacement connectors 138. The jack receptacles 136 are mounted to the front side 132 of the printed wiring board 130 while the insulation displacement connectors (IDCs) 138 are mounted to the back side 134. Traces (not shown) on the printed wiring board 130 electrically connect the IDCs 138 to the electrical contacts 137 (FIG. 2) housed within the jack receptacles 136. As assembled, each jack receptacle 136 aligns with a jack opening 106 in the front portion 104 of the housing while the IDCs 138 are aligned with a terminal connection region 112 disposed on the back portion 110. As shown, the front portion 104 and the back portion 110 of the housing are held together with assembly tabs 108 on the front portion that engage assembly notches 109 on the back portion 110.
FIG. 2 shows a front view of the jack module 100, as would be seen by a user of a typical communications patch panel. FIGS. 3 and 4 show the terminal connection region 112 in greater detail. As shown in FIG. 4, the terminal connection region 112 consists of two substantially parallel rows 114 of wire guide posts 116 and wire guide splitters 117, altematingly disposed along each row 114. As best seen in FIG. 3, adjacent wire guide posts 116 and wire guide splitters 117 have a terminal slot 118 disposed therebetween. Each terminal slot 118 allows access to one of the IDCs 138 disposed within the parallel rows 114. Physical and electrical contact is made between a conductor (not shown) and an IDC 138 by urging the conductor into the terminal slot 118 until the conductor passes between the opposed portions of thc IDCs contact tail 139 FIG. 1). Opposed portions of the contact tail 139 cut through insulation disposed around the conductor, thereby making electrical contact.
Referring now to FIG. 4, the manner of electrically connecting a cable including a plurality of twisted pairs to an existing jack module 100 is addressed. First, a technician determines which IDCs 138 are associated with the desired jack receptacle 136. Here, the IDCs 138 of interest are accessed by way of the pairs of terminal slots labeled 118a, 118b, 118c, and 118d, each of the pairs of the terminal slots 118 being configured to receive the conductors from one of the cable""s twisted conductor pairs. Once the desired IDCs 138 have been determined, the technician urges the desired conductor into the appropriate IDC, typically using a device such as a punch-down tool (not shown). As shown, one twisted pair would be inserted into each pair of terminal slots 118A-D. The wire guide splitters 117 assist the technician in separating the conductors of each twisted conductor pair, thereby making it easier for the technician to insert the desired conductor into the desired IDC 138.
Such methods of routing twisted pairs on the back of existing jack modules 100 have proved adequate for existing performance levels. This is because in the past variation of the routing of twisted pairs, from pair to pair, has had little effect if any on performance. However, recent developments, such as patch panels requiring category 6 performance levels, are much more sensitive to variations in twisted pair dress and routing.
Therefore, there is a need for improved devices, systems and methods that address variations in twisted pair dress and routing and/or other shortcomings of the prior art.
Briefly described, the present invention relates to devices, systems and methods for reducing variations in how twisted pairs from a communications cable are routed to jack modules. In this regard, a preferred embodiment of a back-end variation control cap is configured for use with a jack module including a plurality of insulation displacement connectors, and the cap is configured for routing a plurality of twisted conductor pairs. The cap includes an upper portion, a bottom portion, a plurality of twisted pair channels extending between the upper portion and the bottom portion, and a pair of opposed end walls, each of the end walls including a plurality of wire constraints disposed thereon. Each wire constraint has opposed surfaces configured to retain one of the conductors and each twisted conductor pair extends through one of the twisted pair channels and the conductors of the twisted conductor pairs are disposed in the plurality of wire constraints such that each conductor is aligned with one of the insulation displacement connectors when the bottom portion is disposed adjacent the jack module.
Another embodiment of the present invention provides a method of routing twisted conductor pairs from a cable onto a jack module including insulation displacement connectors. The method includes the steps of: providing a cap having a top portion and a bottom portion; passing each of the twisted conductor pairs through the cap from the top to the bottom portion; engaging a portion of the cap with each of the conductors such that each conductor is immobilized; and disposing the cap on the jack module such that the bottom portion is adjacent the jack module and each of the conductors electrically engages one of the insulation displacement connectors.
Another embodiment of the present invention provides a jack module system configured to receive a plurality of twisted conductor pairs and at least one communication connector. The system includes a housing having a front portion including a jack opening configured to receive the communication connector and a back portion including a terminal connection region configured to receive the twisted pair conductors. A jack receptacle, a printed wiring board, and a plurality of insulation displacement connectors are disposed within the housing such that the jack receptacle is aligned with the jack opening and the plurality of insulation displacement connectors are accessible through the terminal connection region. The jack receptacle and the plurality of insulation displacement connectors are disposed on opposite sides of the printed wiring board. The system further includes a back-end variation control cap including an upper portion, a bottom portion, a plurality of twisted pair channels extending between the upper and the bottom portions, and a plurality of wire constraints disposed on the bottom portion, wherein each wire constraint is configured to retain one of the conductors. Each twisted conductor pair extends through one of the twisted pair channels and the conductors are disposed in the plurality of wire constraints such that each conductor is aligned with one of the insulation displacement connectors when the bottom portion slidably engages the terminal connection region.
Other features and/or advantages of the present invention will be or may become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such features and/or advantages be included herein within the scope of the present invention, as defined in the appended claims.